Getting To The Point – Tips

Escape Room is a physical adventure game where players go into a room full of puzzles and riddles, which they have to solve with the help of hints and strategy in order to achieve the final goal, which is to escape. They have to unveil the secret plot leading to their goal within a set time limit.

Although escape rooms are fun and helpful in team-building, they can also be extremely challenging. On your next escapade, take these tips with you:

1. Be united as a team but avoid bunching.

This is no more than basic advice but there’s a catch if you use it in an escape room. Well-designed escape adventures typically pull a fast one on players by dispersing different parts of the same puzzle inside the room. Hence, each member of your group should be looking around for clues rather than standing around a few. The usual scenario is that when somebody finds something, everybody rushes to it, and at that moment, they start to fail.

2. Call it out.

Every time you see a good clue, let everybody know. Early on, it’s not even the puzzle you should be thinking of, but getting a sense of the plot. And when somebody calls out what they’ve seen, everyone jumps into the same boat. The most critical part of this stage is making sure that everyone is on the same track.

3. Be humble and decisive.

When people know they have a whole hour to solve the problem, they may dawdle during the earliest minutes of the game. When they realize the trouble they’re in, it’s usually too late. Therefore, get that sense of urgency started from the get-go.

Ask for hints if necessary, and no, that’s NOT CHEATING. Don’t let your pride get in the way, and ask as soon as possible, not when you have 5 minutes left. It’s good to be a Sherlock, but teams that win are actually more like Columbo – ask if it helps!

4. Think like an engineer.

Most escape room games are created by mechanical, software and electrical engineers, so put yourself in their heads when you’re out of ideas. With almost everything you’ll see in an escape room custom-built, you can bet that nearly everything in it will help your case. Take mental notes and be open to working backwards.

4. Also think like a writer.

Yes, a writer. After all, what’s an escape room that has no plot? If everything is said and done and you’re still stuck, try thinking like a storyteller. Just picture out what might happen from the point of view of a narrative. If you’re a Lit major, it’s time to get to work.